Basic Program - Buddhism From A-Z (4 July 2008)

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0:57 In terms of thought and in terms of action. In terms of thought, remembering their good qualities, remembering their kindness. And then in terms of action, there were three. What were the three ways that we rely on the Guru in terms of action? What was one? Report an error in the passage at 0:57 Highlight the passage at 0:57

1:21 Get people thinking right away. Hillary, I'll pass the mic. Report an error in the passage at 1:21 Highlight the passage at 1:21

1:35 Offering material gifts or support. Report an error in the passage at 1:35 Highlight the passage at 1:35

1:41 Okay. Offering material things. The second one, Janet? Report an error in the passage at 1:41 Highlight the passage at 1:41

1:52 Following the guru's advice. Right. Right. That's okay. Following the guru's advice, right? Practicing in accordance. Practicing in accordance with the guru's advice. Right. Yeah. Okay. And then what's the other one? Report an error in the passage at 1:52 Highlight the passage at 1:52

2:21 Was it serving the guru, giving him back rubs and doing things? Yeah. Offering service. Offering service. Right. Report an error in the passage at 2:21 Highlight the passage at 2:21

2:35 So actually we can never repay the kindness of the guru, right? Because the guru is giving us the greatest possible gift and that's helping us out of saṃsāra, right? But these are three ways that we can start to repay their kindness, right? And which was the most important out of those three? Report an error in the passage at 2:35 Highlight the passage at 2:35

2:57 Janet. Janet was the most important out of the three. Report an error in the passage at 2:57 Highlight the passage at 2:57

3:06 Right, practicing, right, practicing and coordinating with their advice. Okay, great. Report an error in the passage at 3:06 Highlight the passage at 3:06

3:18 And then, so Report an error in the passage at 3:18 Highlight the passage at 3:18

3:26 then we got to, oh, and then we talked about the benefits of relying on a guru, right? And so these are important to reflect on again and again. And what are some benefits of relying on the guru? Report an error in the passage at 3:26 Highlight the passage at 3:26

3:43 Peter. Report an error in the passage at 3:43 Highlight the passage at 3:43

3:46 He'll get you enlightened so much faster. Report an error in the passage at 3:46 Highlight the passage at 3:46

3:52 Or get you enlightened at all. Right, at all. But a lot more than trying to do it through endless culpas. Report an error in the passage at 3:52 Highlight the passage at 3:52

4:08 Lewis? The bad karma is exhausted. You followed the guru's advice and all the bad karma you've accumulated, exhaust through milder forms of misery. Report an error in the passage at 4:08 Highlight the passage at 4:08

4:22 And in your dreams, which was a very cool thing. Actually, we haven't covered that section yet, but I'm glad you read ahead. Okay, good. Janet? Report an error in the passage at 4:22 Highlight the passage at 4:22

4:37 I made kind of an extensive list. Good. But some of them are almost duplicates. But one of them is that you'll be with virtual friends in this life and in future lives, and Report an error in the passage at 4:37 Highlight the passage at 4:37

4:59 that you accumulate many good qualities. Report an error in the passage at 4:59 Highlight the passage at 4:59

5:06 And you'll have mindfulness and you'll create vast amounts of merit. That's only a few. Okay. Those are pretty good ones. Anything else? Louis? You won't easily succumb to bad karma and afflictions. Like the easily part. Right. You still can. Right. But probably not. If you're relying properly on a guru, that means you've trained your mind pretty well, so you probably won't have really strong afflictions or commit any really strong negative karma, or less likely. Report an error in the passage at 5:06 Highlight the passage at 5:06

5:51 Okay, good. Anything else? Report an error in the passage at 5:51 Highlight the passage at 5:51

6:06 You gain realizations in cities. Report an error in the passage at 6:06 Highlight the passage at 6:06

6:13 You will not transgress the bodhisattva vows in the future. Okay. Yeah. Well, you might still transgress the bodhisattva vows, but you're becoming, right, your behavior naturally becomes bodhisattva-like. Yeah. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 6:13 Highlight the passage at 6:13

6:36 A city is an attainment. It's an attainment, a yogic attainment. So we have cities or attainments and realizations. Like if you realize emptiness, that's a realization. Or you realize bodhicitta, that's a realization. But let's say you attain clairvoyance or something that's a city, that's not a realization. Report an error in the passage at 6:36 Highlight the passage at 6:36

7:02 Or you fly, walking through walls, things like that. Those are cities, those aren't realizations. So cities can help you benefit others, but they're not actually getting you to enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 7:02 Highlight the passage at 7:02

7:21 That's not the goal. Yeah, maybe sometimes they call them the coarser. Sometimes they call them the supreme and common attainments. Yeah, those are the common attainments or the coarse attainments. And the supreme attainment is Buddhahood. Report an error in the passage at 7:21 Highlight the passage at 7:21

7:40 Okay. Any other benefits? Report an error in the passage at 7:40 Highlight the passage at 7:40

8:02 I'm glad that got on the recording. Report an error in the passage at 8:02 Highlight the passage at 8:02

8:07 Did we say that you will not fall into lower realms? don't know. Report an error in the passage at 8:07 Highlight the passage at 8:07

8:14 Well, we haven't really gotten to that section yet. Well, that was the first one that was on the top, I think, of this section. Seems like it. It was the first one I wrote. Oh, it is on that list. You're right. You will not fall into the lower realms. Report an error in the passage at 8:14 Highlight the passage at 8:14

8:33 All your temporary and ultimate goals will be accomplished. I don't think so. don't think so. You just said it. The last one was that all your temporary and ultimate goals will be accomplished, but what do they consider temporary? Report an error in the passage at 8:33 Highlight the passage at 8:33

8:52 We kind of know what ultimate is. Report an error in the passage at 8:52 Highlight the passage at 8:52

8:58 Yeah, I mean, the ultimate goal is enlightenment, right? Temporary goals would be everything in between. Report an error in the passage at 8:58 Highlight the passage at 8:58

9:11 You probably wanted a more technical answer than that. Okay, Report an error in the passage at 9:11 Highlight the passage at 9:11

9:21 yeah, that's good. I think that's complete. Okay, Report an error in the passage at 9:21 Highlight the passage at 9:21

9:28 so basically our good qualities increase more and more and we'll attain enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 9:28 Highlight the passage at 9:28

9:37 So the next section is section B under the benefits of reliance in the middle of page 27. Bad karma is exhausted and the benefit exceeds even that of offerings to numerous Buddhas. Furthermore, through serving and paying respect to the spiritual teacher, the karmas for experiencing the lower realms is exhausted directly in this lifetime through only slight harm to body and mind or experiences in dreams. Report an error in the passage at 9:37 Highlight the passage at 9:37

10:07 It is said that there are enormous benefits that outshine the roots of virtue of making offerings, etc. to innumerable buddhas. So really the best practice that we can do is to serve our gurus. Report an error in the passage at 10:07 Highlight the passage at 10:07

10:27 When we look at some of the people who have been attendants to gurus, they're amazing practitioners. They don't have the pride. You don't... You know, you really have to let go of your preferences for doing things, you know, your own way and in your own time, you know, whenever you want. Report an error in the passage at 10:27 Highlight the passage at 10:27

10:52 You really have to let go of so many things when you're serving the guru. I was talking to one attendant one time and he was saying, you know, he... He was telling stories about how his guru was constantly making him let go of his attachments. And I remember one time they were slated to drive through Switzerland to their next stop. Report an error in the passage at 10:52 Highlight the passage at 10:52

11:16 And this attendant was really looking forward to seeing the mountains of Switzerland. And the Lama kept delaying and kept delaying and kept delaying until... It got dark and then he said, okay, now we can leave. You know, just, you know, helping have let go of that little attachment to wanting, you know, to see the mountains of Switzerland. Report an error in the passage at 11:16 Highlight the passage at 11:16

11:44 So the guru helps us, right? Well, the guru sees these mental afflictions that we have, the attachments, and helps us let go of them. Report an error in the passage at 11:44 Highlight the passage at 11:44

11:55 Gives us that opportunity. Okay. So the karma for experiencing the lower realms is exhausted directly in this lifetime, which is extremely powerful, right? I mean, how amazing is that? Through only slight harm to the body and mind or experiences and dreams. So I think we've talked about this before. You know, when you purify negative karma, oftentimes what happens is the suffering ripens more quickly. Report an error in the passage at 11:55 Highlight the passage at 11:55

12:31 quickly, but in a A much smaller degree. So instead of being reborn in the lower realms for eons, you get a cold or something like that. Or you get sick or you experience some difficulties. I told you this story before of my friend whose car was crashed. He had loaned out his car and it got crashed and totaled. Report an error in the passage at 12:31 Highlight the passage at 12:31

13:02 And the Lama said, oh, this is so fortunate. Basically, that was your purification of becoming financially ruined. Like he would have become financially ruined, but instead he just lost his car. So that's kind of a typical example of how the negative karma ripens in a much smaller way, but more quickly. Report an error in the passage at 13:02 Highlight the passage at 13:02

13:26 And you see this a lot, you know, like if people do nyungne retreats. Or, you know, really practicing intensely. You start seeing, you know, a lot of, like, sickness might come up or some difficulties might come up for people. And, you know, personally I've experienced quite a bit of that. And you can handle it, right, when you know, oh, this is just purification. Report an error in the passage at 13:26 Highlight the passage at 13:26

13:51 And at least I'm not going to experience that terrible result in the future. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 13:51 Highlight the passage at 13:51

14:04 So it is said that there are enormous benefits that outshine the roots of virtue of making offerings, etc. to innumerable Buddhas. Right, so once again, right, the Guru is the representative of all the Buddhas, right? The Guru is the one who's directly helping us, right? Who's come and here to teach us, right? To lead us to enlightenment. So serving the Guru, devoting yourself to the Guru, relying on the Guru, making offerings to the Guru is, The merit is even greater than that of giving to all the Buddhas. Report an error in the passage at 14:04 Highlight the passage at 14:04

14:53 Recently, one of the students at the Gela Gyatso Center in the South Bay, she did the Nyungne Retreat at Vajrapani. And that next week, she said so many... And calamities happened. I mean, she came out of this retreat just glowing. She purified and the Dharma was just going straight in. She felt so inspired. She was just raving about this retreat, even though it was really hard. And for people who don't know, this Nyungne retreat is a very intense fasting, prostration, purification. Report an error in the passage at 14:53 Highlight the passage at 14:53

15:33 And then the next week, her husband lost his job and, oh gosh, I don't remember all of the things, but it was like boom, boom, boom, boom. They got a letter from the IRS. It was like five things. Her son got in a car accident, you know, all in a week. But oftentimes it comes really fast like that and then it's over. Report an error in the passage at 15:33 Highlight the passage at 15:33

15:47 you know Report an error in the passage at 15:47 Highlight the passage at 15:47

16:02 You have it for a week or a month or something like that and then it's over. Or you get a really negative mind. I don't know if people noticed that. Like after Chodron Rinpoche was here, that was an incredible blessing and you felt so uplifted. And then maybe one day suddenly the mind was just all dark and negative. Report an error in the passage at 16:02 Highlight the passage at 16:02

16:27 negative and um You know, and that might happen like for a couple of days and then suddenly it's gone. Like it comes on for no reason and then it lasts for, you know, a day or two days or whatever and then it just goes for no reason. That's probably, well, I always take that as purification too when it doesn't seem like there's a particular reason, you know, everything's going fine and then suddenly, you know, you're just angry at the world or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 16:27 Highlight the passage at 16:27

16:58 So that can be purification as well. Peter? Report an error in the passage at 16:58 Highlight the passage at 16:58

17:05 I think that's when we lose a lot of people at the center because I noticed when we were in the DB class, you're kind of going along smoothly and then it just hits. It's like your practice starts hitting and then it's like one thing after another. And you really have to keep reminding yourself that it's manifesting in a lesser form because at least in my case, it was fast and furious for almost two years. Report an error in the passage at 17:05 Highlight the passage at 17:05

17:30 It's one thing after another. You're in danger of losing faith sometimes. It can be very, very challenging when that starts happening and you just have to rely on this, reminding yourself of it again and again, that it's happening in a lesser form and you don't have to deal with it again once it's purified. Report an error in the passage at 17:30 Highlight the passage at 17:30

17:48 But you can really, I think a lot of people drop out when that stuff starts happening to them because it can be really scary. Yeah, life was easier before. Report an error in the passage at 17:48 Highlight the passage at 17:48

18:02 Yeah, sometimes it happens that way, but for sure the long-term benefit outweighs the temporary. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 18:02 Highlight the passage at 18:02

18:19 Okay. Then why don't we go on to the next section, the drawbacks of not relying. The way it ruins this life and future ones. Report an error in the passage at 18:19 Highlight the passage at 18:19

18:35 If you make someone your spiritual teacher and then back off in your reliance on him, a lot of illnesses and negative forces will cause harm in this life. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 18:35 Highlight the passage at 18:35

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18:43 And in future lives you will have to experience the immeasurable sufferings of the lower realms. So I'm thinking that this translation isn't quite right where it says, then you back off in your reliance on him. This is more referring to if you rely incorrectly on the guru. I mean, backing off is okay. Report an error in the passage at 18:43 Highlight the passage at 18:43

19:06 If we get into a relationship with a guru and then later on we find that maybe we change and we become closer to another guru, then it's perfectly acceptable to take more distance from the other one. Report an error in the passage at 19:06 Highlight the passage at 19:06

19:28 And become closer to the second one, as long as you don't develop a negative mind or negative attitude toward the first one. That's the thing that's going to cause us suffering, is if we develop a negative attitude toward someone who's been our guru. Report an error in the passage at 19:28 Highlight the passage at 19:28

19:47 Because once again, all of our gurus have been extremely kind to us. So it's extremely negative karma if our minds start getting negative, start focusing on their faults or becoming really critical of someone who's been trying to lead us to enlightenment. Report an error in the passage at 19:47 Highlight the passage at 19:47

20:09 It's negative karma to become negative toward anyone, but particularly toward the guru, because the guru is the kindest. So, um, so here in, in Geshe Sopo's... He says this section is referring to having a negative attitude toward the guru, getting angry at the guru, or speaking or acting disrespectfully toward the guru. Report an error in the passage at 20:09 Highlight the passage at 20:09

20:38 So negative attitude, getting angry, or speaking or acting disrespectfully toward the guru. If we do one of those things, then... A lot of illnesses and negative forces will cause harm in this life. And in future lives, you will have to experience the immeasurable sufferings of the lower realms. Report an error in the passage at 20:38 Highlight the passage at 20:38

21:02 So this isn't referring to just some minor little negative karma, but really kind of turning against your guru. Which is why we talked about the importance of meditating on... The kindness of the guru, the qualities of the guru again and again, so that when something happens that we have difficulty with, our minds don't just automatically turn negative. Report an error in the passage at 21:02 Highlight the passage at 21:02

21:31 That our minds are trained well enough to remember their kindness and their qualities. And then sometimes people get into... I Report an error in the passage at 21:31 Highlight the passage at 21:31

21:48 think I've mentioned this before. Report an error in the passage at 21:48 Highlight the passage at 21:48

21:54 Sometimes we can get into... A relationship with a guru that turns out maybe later we don't have faith in that guru anymore. The guru starts doing some funny things and we can't have faith in them anymore. And I know actually quite a number of people that this has happened to. So this isn't just some theoretical thing. Because it's easy, right? We can develop a relationship with a guru very quickly, you know? Report an error in the passage at 21:54 Highlight the passage at 21:54

22:27 We feel inspired and then we take them as our teacher in our minds or we take refuge from them or we take vows from them and then they become a guru. As soon as we take refuge or vows or empowerments from a guru. How many people have taken empowerment from a guru? They don't even know. So this happens quite often. So then if it turns out later that this guru is, you know, you just can't have faith in them anymore, then once again it's good to just take distance. Report an error in the passage at 22:27 Highlight the passage at 22:27

22:57 And not to develop a negative mind toward them. Report an error in the passage at 22:57 Highlight the passage at 22:57

23:06 I know one friend of mine, this happened with her, and what she said that she ended up doing was really appreciating that that guru was there and really helped her learn at that particular period in her life was really, really helpful. And that she was kind of on this train and then she was just moving on, right? Report an error in the passage at 23:06 Highlight the passage at 23:06

23:33 Without any negative attitude toward this Lama, but, you know, that's not where she was anymore after a while. And I noticed that a lot for myself, you know, over the years, you know, in the beginning you're attracted to certain kinds of teachers, and then over time you're attracted to different kinds of teachers, etc., right? Report an error in the passage at 23:33 Highlight the passage at 23:33

23:52 Because our minds need different things at different times, right? So the main thing, once again, is to not develop a negative mind. And to always appreciate, right, what they did. You know, the positive things. In Report an error in the passage at 23:52 Highlight the passage at 23:52

24:13 the 50 verses it says, Do not ever agitate the minds of your masters, not in any way. If you do so due to some delusion, you will necessarily roast in hell. It has been explained authentically that all those who disparage their masters will be dwelling in horrific hells such as Avicii that were taught. Report an error in the passage at 24:13 Highlight the passage at 24:13

24:40 Okay, so, you know, that's not mincing any words. Report an error in the passage at 24:40 Highlight the passage at 24:40

24:49 Avicii is the lowest hell, the one with the unstopping, unbearable suffering. Report an error in the passage at 24:49 Highlight the passage at 24:49

25:04 So just in case there's any doubt, you know, if you're going to suffer, if you rely improperly on the guru, that's what it says. And just, let me just read you. Something from Gishisopa. Report an error in the passage at 25:04 Highlight the passage at 25:04

25:27 So in this tantra called the Tantra bestowing the initiation of Vajrapani, Vajrapani asked the Buddha, what is the karmic result of despising your spiritual master? The Buddha replied, Vajrapani, if I tell you that, it will terrify all the beings in the world, including the gods. Please don't ask me that. Report an error in the passage at 25:27 Highlight the passage at 25:27

25:49 So, I think. We don't need to belabor that point. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 25:49 Highlight the passage at 25:49

26:13 Can you define that a little bit more? Because I can understand that maybe in the moment you might have a moment's irritation that you purify in a situation. And what's the difference between that and disparaging? I'm not quite sure what they mean. You know, and here I'm just speculating. it's just Emily going. Report an error in the passage at 26:13 Highlight the passage at 26:13

26:35 And maybe other people have heard. But I don't think it's referring to, you know, that moments of irritation that arises that you immediately try to counteract. I mean, that's just normal as long as we have mental afflictions. We have that. But, you know, sometimes we get to that point where we start despising. Report an error in the passage at 26:35 Highlight the passage at 26:35

26:59 You know, we develop kind of this settled attitude that they're... They're just not good in our minds. Report an error in the passage at 26:59 Highlight the passage at 26:59

27:11 It's like something that you've decided. There's this bodhisattva vow about abandoning love for any being. If you abandon... Well, actually, it's not a bodhisattva vow. Anyway, we're not supposed to abandon love for any being. And that doesn't mean that you should never get annoyed at anyone anymore. Report an error in the passage at 27:11 Highlight the passage at 27:11

27:32 But it means that you should never consciously give up on that being. Give up. Wanting to benefit that being. And so I'm suspecting that this is something similar, like where you're kind of consciously just like kind of becoming negative toward this guru. And it's not just this momentary. It's more constant. It's more of a decision. That's just what I'm thinking. Report an error in the passage at 27:32 Highlight the passage at 27:32

28:00 Has anybody heard anything specific on this one from Geshe-la? Okay. Report an error in the passage at 28:00 Highlight the passage at 28:00

28:26 Yeah, Janet. Report an error in the passage at 28:26 Highlight the passage at 28:26

28:32 In this book, in that same section, there's a little paragraph. It's a commentary on difficult points of black enemy of Yama. And it says, anyone who hears even a single verse and does not... Conceive of its speaker as being his or her guru, will be reborn 100 times as a dog and then will take rebirth in a bad caste. Report an error in the passage at 28:32 Highlight the passage at 28:32

29:03 So it sounds like, based on this and what you've said, that maybe the degree of disparagement determines the severity of the karma too. So you might get angry at your guru and that might be a smaller suffering but still a negative karmic result of that. Whereas if you completely abandon them and say, oh, they're no good, terrible, I don't want to have anything to do with them, then you're going to be in the hell realms or something. Report an error in the passage at 29:03 Highlight the passage at 29:03

29:41 Yeah, I'm sure that's true. It depends on the degree and a little purification. Yeah, it did, but it's that loud, it's personal. Report an error in the passage at 29:41 Highlight the passage at 29:41

30:12 there was a good point when we were talking about when that happened. Oh, yeah. Right. Yeah. So, you know, so if it's something we've purified, obviously the result is going to be less, right? And if it's something that we've really settled in on and become, you know, turn against your guru, you know, decided that this person is, you know, not a valid guru anymore and you start speaking badly about him to others, you know, this happens. Report an error in the passage at 30:12 Highlight the passage at 30:12

30:46 I mean, I know. Yeah, I mean, I know people who have done that, you know, and protested against their former guru and, you know, and the karma you're creating is horrible, you know. So if you don't understand what the guru is doing, you don't understand why they're doing it, you know, we can at least have the humility to admit that we don't understand, you know, instead of jumping to the conclusion that it's bad and they're bad. Report an error in the passage at 30:46 Highlight the passage at 30:46

31:13 Do you want to close the window? Report an error in the passage at 31:13 Highlight the passage at 31:13

31:18 Yes! All right. Okay. So, yeah, so, you know, so this is, this is, though, a really good reminder that we can't, to not just justify our negative attitudes, right? Like, oh, okay, well, this is something I really want to purify because I don't want to, you know, roast in Avicii hell for eons, right? No, I guess I could take the time and purify it. Report an error in the passage at 31:18 Highlight the passage at 31:18

31:48 Can you talk a little Report an error in the passage at 31:48 Highlight the passage at 31:48

31:53 Yeah, and we haven't, actually, that verse that Janet, that you read, we're about to get to. We haven't gotten to that verse yet. Yeah, I think. Report an error in the passage at 31:53 Highlight the passage at 31:53

32:03 So in the same, in Gesho Sopo's book, farther down the page, there's a line about, if disciples have an attitude of ill will, anger or hatred towards their teacher, there will be no place in their mind for virtuous qualities. And I think, you know, for me, that's really what gets to the point of it, because, I mean, it's... Report an error in the passage at 32:03 Highlight the passage at 32:03

32:22 For me it was a really, because of my personal history, it was a really long journey to get to the point where I could rely on a spiritual teacher at all and in the process of getting to that point I've had a lot of people who helped in smaller ways along the way and for me a big part of practice along the way has been to really appreciate what every person along the way gave. Report an error in the passage at 32:22 Highlight the passage at 32:22

32:51 And most of those people were fairly ordinary people who reached out in one way or another. Report an error in the passage at 32:51 Highlight the passage at 32:51

33:02 But, you know, they did the best they could. And whether in the end, you know, they, whatever, you know, whether they were perfect, they didn't need to be perfect, you know. That's not a standard that is reasonable to hold anybody to. and Report an error in the passage at 33:02 Highlight the passage at 33:02

33:21 So, you know, I think to me that really makes a lot of sense that, you know, I don't know, I don't need to fear hell to recognize that it doesn't, that it's a, you know, that if your mind is filled with ill will or hatred, obviously there's no room for your heart to be filled with virtuous qualities. Report an error in the passage at 33:21 Highlight the passage at 33:21

33:46 That's the most sensible thing. If I'm trying to work towards the enlightenment of all sentient beings, then clearly I need to be filled with positive qualities, not anger or hatred. Report an error in the passage at 33:46 Highlight the passage at 33:46

34:12 Okay, the next, Report an error in the passage at 34:12 Highlight the passage at 34:12

34:18 the text says, in a passage from the commentary on difficult points of the black opponent of Yama, it also says, whoever hears a single verse of Dharma and does not perceive the spiritual teacher. Will be reborn among dogs a hundred times and afterwards as someone of low caste. So this is the verse that Janet referred to. Report an error in the passage at 34:18 Highlight the passage at 34:18

34:41 So here it's talking a lot about the lower rebirth. But I wanted to clarify this. Whoever hears a single verse of Dharma and does not perceive that person as your spiritual teacher or guru, this has always confused me. Because on the one hand, you know, it says, you know, you check out the teacher, you know, you check out the teachers for, you know, many years and then you take someone as your guru. Report an error in the passage at 34:41 Highlight the passage at 34:41

35:09 And then here it says, if you've heard a single verse. So I wanted to read what Gishijompa Gyatso says about this. Report an error in the passage at 35:09 Highlight the passage at 35:09

35:25 He says, it needs to be clarified that if we just hear a single verse of Dharma from someone, it is not necessary to take him. her as our teacher. We can, for example, listen to a Dharma teaching while thinking that we are merely listening to a lecture, independent of whether the person teaching is a monk, nun or layperson. Report an error in the passage at 35:25 Highlight the passage at 35:25

35:48 In other words, we can just treat the teachings as a general talk, due to which this person does not become our teacher. For someone to become our teacher, we have to think that we want to take him as our teacher. That is, we must have this specific motivation. However, having taken him as our spiritual teacher, if we then listen to the teachings from him but lack respect for him, we will be reborn a hundred times among dogs. Report an error in the passage at 35:48 Highlight the passage at 35:48

36:19 And even when we are reborn as a human being, we'll be born in the lower caste. Report an error in the passage at 36:19 Highlight the passage at 36:19

36:27 So I thought that was nice and clear. Report an error in the passage at 36:27 Highlight the passage at 36:27

36:55 The next section says no positive qualities are attained and earlier ones deteriorate. Apart from that, positive qualities that have not arisen do not arise and those that have deteriorated, well, those that have deteriorate and vanish. So this is basically what Hillary was talking about, right? So not only are you reborn, you know, in a lower or suffering rebirth, but then you're... Report an error in the passage at 36:55 Highlight the passage at 36:55

37:23 Your positive qualities deteriorate, right? And our happiness deteriorates, right? If we start thinking negatively about someone, I mean, it doesn't even have to be anger or hatred, but just, you know, disrespect or, you know, judgment. Our mind just, you know, the virtuous qualities decrease, right? Our mind just becomes more unhappy and critical and, you know, there's just... Report an error in the passage at 37:23 Highlight the passage at 37:23

37:51 The more we notice our minds, the more we become familiar with our minds, the more we see how our thoughts really affect our happiness. And the more positive thoughts we have, the more loving thoughts we have, then the happier we are. We're lighter and happier. And the more judgmental we are and the more anger we have or resentment we have, it colors our whole feeling of well-being. Report an error in the passage at 37:51 Highlight the passage at 37:51

38:17 It just brings darkness to the mind. And so that in and of itself just motivates us to practice virtue more and more, to have a more positive mind, because then we're just happier and more consistently. Report an error in the passage at 38:17 Highlight the passage at 38:17

38:35 And I notice if I just indulge in a resentful thought for five minutes, that affects my whole state of mind for the rest of the day. You know, if not for days, you know, because sometimes it's fun, right? It's fun to focus on someone's negative qualities and then they did this and then they did that. Report an error in the passage at 38:35 Highlight the passage at 38:35

39:05 But then, you know, then the mind is going right the rest of the day, you know, garbage, garbage, garbage, garbage, garbage. So it's not really worth the fun of disparaging someone, right? Report an error in the passage at 39:05 Highlight the passage at 39:05

39:21 It's like a hangover. You indulge in your negative thoughts for a while and then you have to suffer the hangover from that for the rest of the day, for days. Report an error in the passage at 39:21 Highlight the passage at 39:21

39:40 So it ruins the momentum, right? When we're practicing well, we can really feel our faith growing, we can feel our happiness growing, our sense of well-being growing, and then we fall off the wagon. And then we indulge in negative thoughts. Maybe we go see our family for a week and they remind us of all sorts of things that they did to us when they were young or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 39:40 Highlight the passage at 39:40

40:11 And then the mind gets all negative. Or somebody treats us badly and we let our minds get negative. And then that whole momentum, that sense of well-being that we've built up. It's just gone, right? And then we have to work really hard to get it back again. It's easier to just kind of stay with the momentum than to lose it and then have to work and get it back again. Report an error in the passage at 40:11 Highlight the passage at 40:11

40:43 But that's the reality of what most of us do, right? We have to kind of fall into that hole a lot of times before we stop falling in that hole. Or as Sogyo Rinpoche says in his book, you walk down the street, you fall in the hole, you get out. You walk down the street, you fall in the hole, you get out. Report an error in the passage at 40:43 Highlight the passage at 40:43

41:06 You walk down the street, you fall in the hole, you get out. Then you walk down the street and you see the hole. And you fall in the hole. And then you get out. Report an error in the passage at 41:06 Highlight the passage at 41:06

41:20 And then eventually we walk down the street, we see the hole, and we walk around the hole. All right. Report an error in the passage at 41:20 Highlight the passage at 41:20

41:26 Right? And then eventually, eventually, we walk down another street. Report an error in the passage at 41:26 Highlight the passage at 41:26

41:35 Yeah. Yeah. It's so fitting, isn't it? I think when we directly realize emptiness, we're walking down another street. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 41:35 Highlight the passage at 41:35

41:51 Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 41:51 Highlight the passage at 41:51

42:01 It's amazing how often we still fall in that hall. think he just felt like that. Report an error in the passage at 42:01 Highlight the passage at 42:01

41:52 is good Report an error in the passage at 41:52 Highlight the passage at 41:52

42:05 But sometimes, but it's good to at least see it first, right? And then sometimes we fall in and sometimes we actually walk around it. Report an error in the passage at 42:05 Highlight the passage at 42:05

42:16 Okay, Report an error in the passage at 42:16 Highlight the passage at 42:16

42:20 so maybe that's a good time for a break. So we have a celebration for Peter and Louis who got married a week ago today for the second time. Report an error in the passage at 42:20 Highlight the passage at 42:20

42:42 Sure, yeah, congratulations. I was trying to think of what we could sing to you, but what do you sing at a wedding? Report an error in the passage at 42:42 Highlight the passage at 42:42

43:15 So the next section is the disadvantages of relying on unwholesome spiritual friends and bad companions. If you rely on unwholesome spiritual friends and bad companions, again, positive qualities diminish, faults increase, and there will be undesirable results. Therefore, it was taught that this should be avoided in every way. Report an error in the passage at 43:15 Highlight the passage at 43:15

43:40 So we've talked about this before, right? If we hang out with people who are very negative and who complain a lot and who encourage us to, you know, act out our resentment and things, you know, our own qualities decrease, right? So to be careful about the company we keep, right? And particularly about a guru, right? Report an error in the passage at 43:40 Highlight the passage at 43:40

44:05 if we have you know fallen into a relationship with a guru who Who turns out to be a bad influence than to take distance once again without getting negative toward them. Report an error in the passage at 44:05 Highlight the passage at 44:05

44:21 So I'm going to read from Gishisopa again because his commentary is so amazing. It's Report an error in the passage at 44:21 Highlight the passage at 44:21

44:39 on page 158. So he's talking about the... A bodhisattva or any wise person will fear an evil friend even more than he fears a wild elephant. Report an error in the passage at 44:39 Highlight the passage at 44:39

45:05 If a mad elephant charges you, the worst it can do is trample you to death. It can destroy your body, but that's it. Sooner or later your body will be destroyed anyway. So the elephant is just bringing about this result a little sooner. Though an elephant may destroy your body of flesh, A bad teacher will destroy the body of Dharma. A sinful friend or teacher who leads you in the wrong direction will destroy both your virtuous qualities and your pure mind. Report an error in the passage at 45:05 Highlight the passage at 45:05

45:42 That is a much more serious form of destruction. It has ongoing consequences for a very long time. It not only destroys virtues in this life but it destroys the potential for happy rebirth for many lives to come. Report an error in the passage at 45:42 Highlight the passage at 45:42

46:04 If your mind is pure and firm, a crazy elephant cannot throw you into the lower realms of rebirth. But if you rely on a sinful friend who leads you to do non-virtuous actions, he or she will undoubtedly throw you right into the hells. Report an error in the passage at 46:04 Highlight the passage at 46:04

46:24 I mean, we don't like to hear about the hells, right? Report an error in the passage at 46:24 Highlight the passage at 46:24

46:30 But we can say right into a lot of suffering for a very long time. Report an error in the passage at 46:30 Highlight the passage at 46:30

46:38 Therefore a bodhisattva is very fearful of sinful teachers and is always careful to avoid them. Abandoning sinful friends or non-virtuous teachers does not mean to make a big noisy fuss as you separate yourself from them. It also does not mean you should take any harsh measures or act toward them in an evil manner. Rather it means to recognize their harmful nature and quietly But completely avoid them. Report an error in the passage at 46:38 Highlight the passage at 46:38

47:27 As I said before, I think we're pretty safe with Geshe Dagpa and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, so our karma is amazing. Report an error in the passage at 47:27 Highlight the passage at 47:27

47:51 We'll finish this section. Summary of the meaning of these points. The importance of proper reliance on the root of perpetual striving. Report an error in the passage at 47:51 Highlight the passage at 47:51

48:04 That being so, the instructions widely known as Guru Yoga should also be understood according to what has been explained before. It will not be enough to do the visualization in just one meditation session, though. When you do one Dharma practice from the bottom of your heart, you should long rely on a spiritual teacher who guides you unmistakably, as Chikawa also said about that time span. Report an error in the passage at 48:04 Highlight the passage at 48:04

48:32 When you rely on a guru, there will be doubtful questions whether to give up. Accordingly, since there will only be loss without profit if you do not know how to rely, it becomes evident that the cycles of teachings about relying on a spiritual teacher are more important than any other ones and the root of perpetual striving. Report an error in the passage at 48:32 Highlight the passage at 48:32

49:03 So here, you know, there's guru yoga, Report an error in the passage at 49:03 Highlight the passage at 49:03

49:09 practicing guru devotion. That's not something that we practice once or twice. It's something that we need to practice again and again. And so that's why it's a very Report an error in the passage at 49:09 Highlight the passage at 49:09

49:29 widespread practice to practice Guru Yoga every day, like as part of your daily practice to practice some Guru Yoga. So it might be Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga, or it might be Lama Choppa. Which is done here every morning in a group. Those are the two most common guru yogas that people do. Also with a tantric practice, for people who have a tantric practice, there's usually a guru yoga associated with that. And so when you do a guru yoga practice, you're practicing. Report an error in the passage at 49:29 Highlight the passage at 49:29

50:14 Showing respect for the teacher, making offerings to the teacher, confessing, right, confessing our negative actions, rejoicing, right, rejoicing in the virtues, our own virtues and the virtues of all beings. Report an error in the passage at 50:14 Highlight the passage at 50:14

50:32 And it's an incredible practice, right, to rejoice in the virtues of our guru, you know, the Buddhas, right, because... They have a lot of virtues to rejoice in those. It's a beautiful practice. So it's very, very good to do a guru yoga practice every day. Report an error in the passage at 50:32 Highlight the passage at 50:32

50:49 And that will create the causes. Report an error in the passage at 50:49 Highlight the passage at 50:49

50:57 Well, that helps create causes to always have a guru in this life and all future lives. Report an error in the passage at 50:57 Highlight the passage at 50:57

51:09 Because when I think about... All right. Report an error in the passage at 51:09 Highlight the passage at 51:09

51:12 Being reborn in the next life, after this whole life of looking for a guru, looking for the Dharma, looking for a guru and not finding it for many, many years. I found the Dharma in my 30s. It just feels like that time was wasted, that first 30 years. So it's important that we make prayers and create the causes to have the guru and the Dharma early in the next life. Report an error in the passage at 51:12 Highlight the passage at 51:12

51:42 And Kurdi Sancho Rinpoche gave the advice that we should be very specific in our prayers, you know, that may we meet the guru early in the next life, right, when we're young and, you know, all of that, right. Yeah, Peter, the microphone, please. Report an error in the passage at 51:42 Highlight the passage at 51:42

52:14 This is just a practical question. Can you do the Lama Tsongkhapa? Guru yoga meditation if you haven't received tantric empowerment? Yes. Okay. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 52:14 Highlight the passage at 52:14

52:36 You know, I should actually double check that, but that's my understanding. I mean, because I know a lot of people who do that practice without having any tantric initiations. But maybe I should double check that with Gusha. Report an error in the passage at 52:36 Highlight the passage at 52:36

52:53 Yeah, yeah. Whenever there's been a teaching on Lama Tsongkhapa, Guru Yoga practice, there's never been a prerequisite or anything. So I would assume that there is none unless, you know, we've all just been ignorant. Report an error in the passage at 52:53 Highlight the passage at 52:53

53:14 But usually with Guru Yoga practices, you don't need an empowerment. Who was I asking? Report an error in the passage at 53:14 Highlight the passage at 53:14

53:30 Oh, I was asking Geshe Gelton about succession Guru Yoga. Oh, actually. That's a long story, I won't tell it. But guru yoga, just in general. Report an error in the passage at 53:30 Highlight the passage at 53:30

53:46 That was a very specific situation, so I won't repeat it. But yeah, if you can do Lama Tsongkhapa guru yoga, I think that's a really good way to start, because the Lama Chopa is quite long and can be overwhelming in the beginning. But such an amazing, beautiful practice. But it takes time. That one really takes time. Report an error in the passage at 53:46 Highlight the passage at 53:46

54:24 And then this quote by Chikawa where he says, when you rely on a guru, there will be doubtful questions whether to give up. So when we've relied on a guru for a long time, Report an error in the passage at 54:24 Highlight the passage at 54:24

54:38 For most of us, sooner or later we're going to have doubts. You know, this is too hard. Do I have to continue to do this? Maybe I should give up and do something easier. Report an error in the passage at 54:38 Highlight the passage at 54:38

54:53 So here he says, year Report an error in the passage at 54:53 Highlight the passage at 54:53

54:58 Since there will be only loss without profit if you do not know how to rely, it becomes evident that the cycles of teachings about relying on a spiritual teacher are more important than any other ones and the root of perpetual striving. So when the doubts come up, to meditate on the benefits of relying on a spiritual teacher again and again. Report an error in the passage at 54:58 Highlight the passage at 54:58

55:24 Because it can be hard, you know, especially the closer you are. To the teacher, you know, people who are living in Lama Zopa Rinpoche's house in Apdos, whenever Lama Zopa Rinpoche comes to town, you can see that they're not getting any sleep. Report an error in the passage at 55:24 Highlight the passage at 55:24

55:41 You know, it's hard. It's very hard. And so we need to keep in mind why we're doing it again and again, right? So meditating on the benefits again and again. And then this... Report an error in the passage at 55:41 Highlight the passage at 55:41

55:59 Hear this quote about relying on a spiritual teacher. The teachings on relying on a spiritual teacher are more important than any other ones. So the guru is who's going to bring us to enlightenment. The guru is the one who's going to help us develop more and more positive qualities. So it's so important when we're ready to rely on the guru. Report an error in the passage at 55:59 Highlight the passage at 55:59

56:26 And to rely on the guru to the extent that we are ready. qualities, you know? Report an error in the passage at 56:26 Highlight the passage at 56:26

56:33 It's not good to jump into a relationship before we're really ready. But once we're ready to practice consistently and not to give, not to let the mind go negative and not to give it up. If we really want to get enlightened. And this is a real question in our minds. Is that what we really want? If that's what we really want, then we need to rely on a guru. Report an error in the passage at 56:33 Highlight the passage at 56:33

57:11 But that's where we have to be really honest with ourselves and our own minds. What is it that we want? What is it that we're striving for? Is it enlightenment? Is it happiness in this life? Is it happiness in future lives? You know, what are we going for? Report an error in the passage at 57:11 Highlight the passage at 57:11

57:32 And then to decide, right? To decide. Because I think it's easy to practice the Dharma. You know, go to teachings for many, many years. And get a little bit better, but not really go. Anywhere, because we haven't really decided to go for enlightenment. And when we go for enlightenment, we make that decision to go for enlightenment instead of following the ego. Report an error in the passage at 57:32 Highlight the passage at 57:32

58:01 It's a huge decision, right? Do we want enlightenment or do we want saṃsāra? You know, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche says. And every moment we choose. Do I want to go for that delusion or do I want to Report an error in the passage at 58:01 Highlight the passage at 58:01

58:20 generate the antidote? Do I want to go for anger or do I want to go for love? Do I want to go for ignorance or do I want to go for wisdom? In each moment we're making a decision. Report an error in the passage at 58:20 Highlight the passage at 58:20

58:41 So if we decide that we really want to get out of saṃsāra, then we need to rely on a guru. And the guru will help us. Report an error in the passage at 58:41 Highlight the passage at 58:41

58:56 Otherwise it's so easy for... The ego to continue to drive our whole entire lives, right? That's what it's been doing since beginningless time, right? And so it really hasn't worked so well, right? Because we're still in saṃsāra. So do we want to decide for something else? So Report an error in the passage at 58:56 Highlight the passage at 58:56

59:24 that's a big one. Report an error in the passage at 59:24 Highlight the passage at 59:24

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:00:29 So Gushi Sopa says, if you take a teacher and afterwards become displeased and abandon him, Then instead of obtaining the great advantages of relying on a teacher, you will reap the various disadvantages that I have discussed. Since that is true, instruction on the proper method of relying on a spiritual teacher is more important than any other teaching. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:29 Highlight the passage at 1:00:29

1:00:58 It is the root of the everlasting highest goal. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:58 Highlight the passage at 1:00:58

1:01:06 So here I think we're so fortunate to get these teachings. Because how many people... Fall into a guru-disciple relationship and have no idea what they're doing. Just relate to that person like you've related to everybody else in your life. It's like we relate to our parents. And Report an error in the passage at 1:01:06 Highlight the passage at 1:01:06

1:01:31 our parents are the other... Report an error in the passage at 1:01:31 Highlight the passage at 1:01:31

1:01:42 So Report an error in the passage at 1:01:42 Highlight the passage at 1:01:42

1:01:52 it's also said that if we get negative toward our parents, then we're also creating very negative karma. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:52 Highlight the passage at 1:01:52

1:02:05 But we've all gotten negative about our parents, right? You know, again and again. So that's our habitual way of relating to authority figures. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:05 Highlight the passage at 1:02:05

1:02:18 So without these teachings on the spiritual, you know, how to rely on the spiritual teacher, then it's very easy to continue that habit, right, with the spiritual teacher. Because the guru won't always do, you know, what we want them to do, right? He'll ask us to do some things we don't want to do. And so it's important to relate to that in a positive, right, the correct way and not to rail against the teacher when they ask us to do 300 new nays or 300,000 prostrations. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:18 Highlight the passage at 1:02:18

1:02:54 Or one. Yeah. Yeah. There's this great Indian teacher. He was a high caste Indian. He's now a great Dharma teacher, but when he first came to the Dharma, you know, and he's very, you can tell he's very high cast, he's very well dressed and very well groomed in the way he talks, is, you know, very proper and very well educated and holds himself like this. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:54 Highlight the passage at 1:02:54

1:03:29 And his teacher told him, okay, now it's time to do your 100,000 prostrations. Did I tell you this story before? And this Indian teacher, he looked at his guru and he said, you mean figuratively, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:03:29 Highlight the passage at 1:03:29

1:03:51 And the guru said, no, we need to get down on the ground and do those prostrations. And he did, you know, but I just thought that was a great story because we all have an idea of... What we think we, you know, the way we want to get enlightened, right? The path that we want to follow. And for him, prostrations weren't in his idea of what he needed to do to get enlightened because he was studying emptiness. He wanted to realize emptiness. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:51 Highlight the passage at 1:03:51

1:04:27 Prustrations, he thought, had nothing to do with realizing emptiness. Well, actually, they have everything to do with realizing emptiness, right? So that's just a... Report an error in the passage at 1:04:27 Highlight the passage at 1:04:27

1:04:39 So we all have that, right? Whatever it is for each of us. We're proud. We have preferences, right? We have lots of opinions about things. We have lots of opinions about what's good for us. But relying on a guru, we need to start letting those go. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:39 Highlight the passage at 1:04:39

1:05:04 So once again, this is... Once we really understand, we've taken in our hearts a guru, and it's a well-qualified guru, not just anyone, but someone we know very deeply within ourselves that is a realized being. And then we can entrust ourselves to that being. And that being is there only for our benefit. Whatever he asks to is for our benefit. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:04 Highlight the passage at 1:05:04

1:05:38 Not for His benefit. Lama Zopa Rinpoche doesn't give 300,000 prostrations out of, you know, sadism, right? He does it because that's what we need, right? So when we really understand that, then we want to do it, right? Well, when we really understand it and we want to get enlightened, then we want to do it, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:05:38 Highlight the passage at 1:05:38

1:06:09 Because what a great kindness, right? The guru is telling us how, what we need to do to get enlightened. If Report an error in the passage at 1:06:09 Highlight the passage at 1:06:09

1:06:20 it wasn't a guru, then we don't know. We don't know what, I don't know personally what I need to get enlightened. I don't know what my specific obstacles are. I have an idea of what my obstacles are, but they may not have anything to do with my, you know, the real obstacles. But the guru, you know, realized being who knows our minds, you know, who has that clairvoyance. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:20 Highlight the passage at 1:06:20

1:06:42 Knows what we need. Which is why Lama Zopa Rinpoche gives different practices to different people. He doesn't give the same practice to everybody. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:42 Highlight the passage at 1:06:42

1:06:53 He gives different practices to different people according to what we need. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:53 Highlight the passage at 1:06:53

1:07:07 So how amazing is that? To have somebody who can tell us what we need. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:07 Highlight the passage at 1:07:07

1:07:27 Let's just finish this section. So we'll start after the break with a new section. The need for confession and vows if that proper reliance does not come about because it is a great fault. With our course mental afflictions, we have often allowed many faults of reliance on a spiritual teacher to occur in regard to listening to the Dharma, not knowing how to rely or knowing how, but not doing so. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:27 Highlight the passage at 1:07:27

1:07:58 It is difficult for an awareness of that to develop through confession and vows. That translation I'm not sure of. Having understood the advantages and disadvantages as explained previously, you should therefore sincerely confess any occurrences that are not in accordance with proper reliance, developing many strong resolves. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:58 Highlight the passage at 1:07:58

1:08:25 So as long as we have mental afflictions, as long as we have a lot of mental afflictions, particularly strong mental afflictions, strong attachment, pride, you know, anger, etc. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:25 Highlight the passage at 1:08:25

1:08:38 We're going to falter in our reliance on the spiritual teacher, right? We're going to have negative thoughts or irritation or something arise, right? So the important thing is to catch them, right? To catch them as soon as we can and then to purify them, right? To sincerely regret, to Report an error in the passage at 1:08:38 Highlight the passage at 1:08:38

1:09:06 really try to restrain ourselves from allowing those negative thoughts to arise in relation to the guru. Again, so sincerely regret and sincerely really, with a lot of effort, try to restrain ourselves in the future, which are two of the four opponent powers, right? Regret and restraint. So Report an error in the passage at 1:09:06 Highlight the passage at 1:09:06

1:09:43 I think it's important to recognize that negative thoughts will probably arise, right? And accept that because we have mental afflictions, right? As long as we have mental afflictions, negative thoughts will arise. But what we can really do is to try to catch them as soon as we can and to purify them and work toward not having them arise at all. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:43 Highlight the passage at 1:09:43

1:10:11 So in the beginning we might notice it after the negative thoughts and then gradually we'll notice it sooner and sooner. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:11 Highlight the passage at 1:10:11

1:10:21 And sometimes then you notice it when the thought is about to arise. Right? like You can just feel that negative energy starting to build up and then you catch it. Right. And then eventually it won't arise at all. Right. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:21 Highlight the passage at 1:10:21

1:10:44 So very important to purify. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:44 Highlight the passage at 1:10:44

1:10:56 And I guess she says this is a practice that should be done continually. Right. Purification done continually. Another practice to do. Right. Every day, at least every day. Right. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:56 Highlight the passage at 1:10:56

1:11:12 Then. Lastly, how the realization of reliance is not far away if you act in that manner. If you act in that manner, you will before too long become like the bodhisattva Sada Prudita and the young Sudhana who is insatiable in his request of a spiritual teacher. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:12 Highlight the passage at 1:11:12

1:11:36 So, you know, so just to review once again, right, we need to contemplate the... The benefits again and again of relying on the spiritual teacher and the disadvantages of relying incorrectly. Contemplating the qualities of the spiritual teacher and the kindness to Report an error in the passage at 1:11:36 Highlight the passage at 1:11:36

1:12:08 rely on the, you know, to give offerings to the guru, to practice in accordance with their advice. And if we take commitments and vows from the guru, so important to keep those. So important to keep those. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:08 Highlight the passage at 1:12:08

1:12:25 Like breaking our commitments to the teacher is said to shorten the life of the guru. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:25 Highlight the passage at 1:12:25

1:12:35 Shorten the life of the guru and cause sickness in the guru. Because the guru is a karmic appearance for us. Breaking our commitments and vows is Report an error in the passage at 1:12:35 Highlight the passage at 1:12:35

1:12:47 not just our own. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:47 Highlight the passage at 1:12:47

1:12:55 Not only will we suffer, but others will suffer as well. Because the guru won't live long. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:55 Highlight the passage at 1:12:55

1:13:09 And then to cultivate our own qualities. To cultivate those three or five qualities of a suitable disciple so that we can rely on the Guru properly. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:09 Highlight the passage at 1:13:09

1:13:27 Then if we do that, we'll become like, Report an error in the passage at 1:13:27 Highlight the passage at 1:13:27

1:13:35 what's his name? The two S's. You know, those Indian guys. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:35 Highlight the passage at 1:13:35

1:13:46 I'm terrible with these Indian names. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:46 Highlight the passage at 1:13:46

1:13:52 Does anybody know how to pronounce that? Sada Prarudita. Yes, thank you. And Sudata. Yeah, Sudata is a little easier. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:52 Highlight the passage at 1:13:52

1:14:16 So these two, according to Kishisopa, these two were bodhisattvas who set the historical standard for how to rely on a spiritual teacher. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:16 Highlight the passage at 1:14:16

1:14:36 So we never got to reviewing the homework, but maybe. here. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:36 Highlight the passage at 1:14:36

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:14:46 We reviewed a lot of it, not all of them. Well, most of them. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:46 Highlight the passage at 1:14:46

1:14:56 So if people didn't get the homework and they want to do it on their own or want a copy, then we have more copies. Anybody else? Report an error in the passage at 1:14:56 Highlight the passage at 1:14:56

1:15:11 Marion. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:11 Highlight the passage at 1:15:11

1:15:16 Anybody else? Okay. So a reminder, next week we won't have class, but two weeks from now we'll start the next section. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:16 Highlight the passage at 1:15:16

1:15:31 And then if people... If you aren't on the email list and want to get on the email list, just come see me after class. You're on my email list. And then once again these texts will be available hopefully in the next week or so in the bookstore. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:31 Highlight the passage at 1:15:31

1:15:53 Oh yeah, so Sunday is His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday and there's going to be a celebration here, what time? Report an error in the passage at 1:15:53 Highlight the passage at 1:15:53

1:16:09 At 1030? Report an error in the passage at 1:16:09 Highlight the passage at 1:16:09